VIP Class Notes (Tibo) [S+W]

Louisa

Next Class Focus

1 – business emails (current focus) (next time more practice + formal / informal)
2 – business presentations  ( introduce the company / introduce the product / prepare potential questions)
3 – business meetings
4 – business negotiation

Homework


Practice 1: You want to invite Johny Walker, account manager in IBM to your annual party. Write an email.

Practice 2: You sent a quotation to Jack Daniels last mont and he hasn’t replied yet. Send an email to enquire about the situation.

Bring one or 2 old emails that were difficult for you to write so that we can improve them.

Speaking exercise

I work the IT company several years from IBM. I have my own company. cross border e-commerce
We have some insurance products provide commerce so we can give them some insurance service and IT service.
We use IT technology for e-commerce customers.
I need improve my business English. I have American partner to talk with Amazon but my English is not… I haven’t the business vocabulary and grammar… pronunciation. Not familiar with foreign company.
face to face is the most difficult.

the first phase we are introduce each other company. the second phase we will talk about company and product details.
The first phase I can read my ppt or some other materials but the first and second phase they will ask me some questions but sometimes I can’t reply to them. I can understand what they ask me but I need a lot of time to make a sentence.

In that time I felt nervous.


I work in a IT company for several years.  I started in IBM. I have my own company. We do cross border e-commerce

We provide insurance and IT services to our customers >

We use IT technology for e-commerce customers.
I need to improve my business English. I have an American partner to talk with Amazon but my English is not good enough… I don’t have the business vocabulary and grammar… pronunciation English business skills. I am not familiar with foreign company.
face to face meetings are the most difficult.

In the first phase we introduce each other‘s company. In the second phase we will talk about company and product details.
In the first phase I can read my ppt or some other materials but after the first and second phase they will ask me some questions but sometimes I can’t reply to them. I can understand what they ask me but I need a lot of time to make a sentence.
at that time I felt nervous.

Grammar

need to do something:
I need to finish this presentation before Friday.
I need to get your answer before next week.

Writing exercise

Writing emails

Situation 1 : you send an email to John Smith in Amazon to confirm a meeting on July 15 in Amazon’s HQ.

So pleasure to introduced our company in last email.
We have some business details to confirm in next meeting.
Can we confirm that day July 15 in Amazon’s HQ?

thank you

—–

Dear Mr Smith

I hope you had a great trip in Shanghai. ( Now it is my turn to come to America)

I am writing to you about the meeting in Amazon’s HQ. on July 15.
I am writing to you to confirm the meeting in Amazon’s HQ. on July 15.
Could you confirm the time with me before Friday.
Please let me know if the meeting still holds and what time is good for you.

I am looking forward to hearing from you / to your reply / to seeing you again

Best regards,

Basic 1st email structure:

  • greeting
  • a compliment or pleasantry
  • the reason for your email
  • a call to action
  • a closing message
  • signature
  • greeting
    Hi John / Dear Mr Smith
  • a compliment or pleasantry
    I hope you had a great weekend / Christmas/Thanksgiving. I hope you had a safe trip back to …. / I hope this email finds you well
  • the reason for your email
    I am writing to you to ….(verb). / I am writing to you about . (noun)…..
  • a call to action
    Could you …. / could you please …./ would you mind …../  please ……
  • a closing message
    I am looking forward to hearing from you
  • signature
    Best regards …..

 bad news:
I am afraid …..
I have the regret to inform you that ……

I am afraid that we will not be able to deliver on time because of the holiday.
I have the regret to inform you that the shipment was delayed at the customs. / that I won’t be able to attend the meeting …

Writing exercise

Practice 2: you haven’t received the payment for the services provided to IBM yet. Send them an email to remind them.
Your contact is John Smith, account manager.

Hi John,
I hope you had a great week end….
I am afraid that I haven’t received the payment for Q1 yet.
Could you give us the payment before Friday this week? / Could you please look into it and let me know before Friday?
I am looking forward to hearing good news from you
Best regards .

Vocabulary

Headquarters (HQ) : Main building of a company.
Our HQ is in Shanghai but we are present in 100 cities.

a compliment : when you say something nice to someone
Tom told me that my new bag looked really nice. He gave me a compliment.

to compliment.
I complimented them on their new building, it is very tall.